The present invention relates in general to a boat launching and docking guide and pertains, more particularly, to a self-elevating boat launching and docking guide rail for trailers directed to assisting in loading and unloading the boat from the trailer. The boat lauching and docking guide rail of this invention is an improvement over conventional guide rails associated with boat trailer assemblies.
With the conventional boat guides it is generally necessary to back a boat trailer down an incline or ramp. As the boat and trailer enter the water the stern of the boat floats free from the trailer. The bow of the boat is launched from the trailer and the boat is free of the trailer and afloat. The boat is loaded onto conventional trailers by reversing these steps. These conventional trailers are typically rigid structures including a central longitudinal member with either rollers or pads to guide and hold the boat in place on the trailer.
Conventional boat trailers generally do not provide effective assistance for loading and unloading the boat. Another drawback associated with the conventional boat trailer is that whenever there are winds present, other boat traffic, currents or other conditions that cause the boat's stern to drift from center when loading and unloading the boat, these conditions are likely to damage a boat's hull either by forcibly withdrawing the bow while the stern is afloat, or by the boat hull settling unevenly into the trailer as the trailer is withdrawn from the water.
Existing boat trailers also have a drawback in that a single operator must perform all the functions of aligning the boat to the trailer, attaching the boat to the trailer as the boat floats above the trailer, and driving a vehicle to pull the boat and trailer out of the water.
Examples of conventional trailers are disclosed in the following U.S. patents. The Whaley reference, U.S. Pat. No. 4,395,185, discloses a self leveling boat trailer having a boat support platform with a floatation device. The floating platform remains level with the water which improves the boat loading and unloading capabilites.
The Gudmundson references, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,365,733 and 3,339,217 disclose a boat trailer with a housing, and the housing containing a floatable material for floating the trailer when immersed. The disclosed trailer also provides a dry dock for the boat and a walkway for the people using the trailer.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved self-elevating boat launching and docking guide rail that is attached to the trailer but can be raised and lowered independent of the trailer.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved self-elevating boat launching and docking guide rail that is constructed to provide a boat guide that raises above, yet not out of the water when the trailer is backed into the water, and lowers when the trailer and boat are pulled from the water by a vehicle.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved self-elevating boat launching and docking guide rail that is adapted to provide alignment of the boat with the trailer and prevent the stern of the boat from drifting during the loading and unloading procedure.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved self-elevating boat launching and docking guide rail that will be of assistance to a single person faced with the task of either loading or unloading a boat from a trailer.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved self-elevating boat launching and docking guide rail that is capable of being adapted for use in association with conventional boat trailers.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a self-elevating boat launching and docking guide rail that may be provided in the general shape of a boat and that can be mounted on suitable conventional boat trailers by replacing an existing winch stand with a modified winch stand constructed in accordance with this invention.